Starting mechanism for harvester cutting apparatus.



` Patented Mar. Il, |902. B. F. BOYDSTUN. STARTING MEcHAmSM FORHARVESTER CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 80, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

h(R0 Model.)

No. 695,370. Patented Mar. Il, |902.

B; F. BOYDSTUN.

STARTING MECHANISM FOH` HARVESTER CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 30, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2` 80 Model.)

ma News Penas c il'NiTnn STATES f BENJAMINF. vF. BOYDSTON,

PATENT @Trium or nDeERToN, MISSOURI.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR HARVESTER C UTTING APPARATUS.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 69 5,370, dated March 11, 190.2,

Application filed March 30, 1901. SerialrNo. 53.680. (No model.)

To all tf1/"2,0771, t r11/ay concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMINE F. BOYD- sToN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Edgerton, in the county of Platte and Stat-e ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Starting Mechanism forHarvester Cutting Apparatus, of which the followingis a specication.

My invention is an improved starting mechanism for harvester cuttingapparatus for imparting motion to the cutter-bar when the team startsprior to the starting of the machine; and it consists in the peculiarconstruction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a portionof a mowing or harvesting machine provided with an improved startingmechanism for the cutting apparatus embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 isa sectional view of the same, taken on a plane indicated by the line a aof Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail View.

The frame l, driving-shaft 2, tractionwheels 3, driving-gear 4,counter-shaft 5, pinion 6, beveled gear 7, shaft S, having beveledpinion 9, crank-Wheel l0, and the pitman 1l, connecting the crank-wheell0 to the cutterbar 12, are of the usual construction. Thetraction-wheels are, as usual, looselymounted on the driving-shaft 2 andconnected thereto by the usual pawl-and-ratchet mechanisms, (indicatedin Fig. 1,) s representing the pawls carried by wheels 3 and t theratchet-wheels fast on the driving-shaft, whereby the driving-shaft iscapable of rotation independently of said traction-wheels. The cutterbaris reeiprocated by the power conveyed thereto by the pitman ll, andheretofore it has been necessary to start the machine forward and rotatethe traction-wheels 3 before the cutting apparatus is started inoperation. Owing to the inertia of the cutter-bar it is somewhatdifficult to start the same in operation, particularly if the machinehas been stopped while in operation with the standing grain or grassimmediately in advance of the cutting apparatus, and in practice ithasbeen heretofore necessary to back the machine slightly before startingit forward and in operation under such circumstances.

The object of my invention is to provide means for starting the cuttingapparatus in operation prior to the forward movement of the machine, sothat the cutting apparatus may be clear of any grass or grain engaged byits fingers and cutters and in full motion prior to the starting of themachine, thus obviatin g the necessity of backing the machine beforestarting it forward and also lessening the initial draft on the team.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a sprocket-wheel a, which isloosely mounted on the driving-shaft 2 at apoint directly in rear of thetongue 13. The said sprocket-wheel carries a pawl b, which is adapted toengage a ratchet-wheel c, that is fast on the driving-shaft and isproximate to one side of the sprocket-wheel. The doubletree d is adaptedto move forward and rearward on the tongue and is supported on a pin orbolt e, which forms its pivot and which operates i n a slot f, withwhich a traveler g is provided, and also operates in a slot 7i in thetongue. The said traveler is here shown as of substantially inverted-Ushape andV is provided at its front and rear ends with bolts t', bymeans of which it is secured on the tongue; but the traveler may be ofany suitable construction and any suitable means may be employed forconnecting the doubletree to the tongue which will admit of the movementof the doubletree forward and rearward with relation to the tongue. Asprocketchain 7c engages the sprocket-wheel a. One end of the saidsprocket-chain is connected to the doubletree, preferably at the centerof the latter, and in the embodiment of my invention here shown I employa link-rod Z for connecting the said sprocket-chain to the doubletree.The opposite end of the sprocketchain is connected to a spring m, whichis here shown as a coiled retractile spring, the rear end of which isconnected to the sprocketchain and the front end of which is attached tothe tongue, on the under side of the latter, by an eyebolt n. i

It will be understood from the foregoing thatwhen the team is startedthe initial impulse thereof vwill draw the doubletree forward, hencecausing the chain t'to partly rotate the sprocketwheel a, and thereby,through the pawl ZJ and ratchet c, rotate the driving-shaft 2 before themachine is started IOO in motion, the partial rotation of thedrivingshaft through the usual gears and connections starting thecutting apparatus in operation prior to the forward movement of themachine. The lost motion of the doubletree and the spring m lessens thestrain on the team in starting the machine, and the said spring afterthe machine is in motion returns the doubletree to its initial position.

My improved starting mechanism is not only effective for' starting thecutting apparatus in operation prior to the forward movement of themowing-machine or harvester, but is also eieient in keeping the cuttingmechanism in operation at regular speed when the machine is passing overinequalities in the surface of Ithe field.

The pawl 6 has a forward-extending arm o, (here shown as a spring,)which when the Wheel a has been turned sufficiently to start the cuttingapparatus engages a projection p on the frame l and automatically tripsthe pawl from the ratchet-wheel, thereby releasing the Wheel a, as willbe understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a mowing-machine orharvester, the combination of a spring-retracted draft element, aninitially-effective revoluble element loose on the driving-shaft, aconnection between said draft element and said revoluble element, means,including a movable mem- ,ber, to lock said revoluble element to saiddriving-shaft, to cause said revoluble element v tain said trippedmember in disengaged position, while the machine continues inoperation,and thereby permit said driving-shaft to rotate independentlyof said revoluble element and the latter to remain at rest,substantially as described.

2. In a mowing-machine or harvester, the combination of aspring-retracted draft element, a sprocket-wheel loose on thedrivingshaft, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism connecting said sprocket-Wheelto said driving-shaft, and a sprocket-chain on said sprocket-wheel andconnected to said draft element, substantially as described.

3. In a mowing-machine or harvester, having a driving-shaft revolubleindependently of the traction-wheels and connections between saiddriving-shaft and a cutting apparatus, the combination of asprocket-wheel on said driving-shaft, a paWl-and-ratehet mechanism tolock the same thereto when said sprocket-wheel is turned in onedirection, a spring to turn said sprocket-Wheel in the reversedirection, adoubletree movable forward and rearward on the tongue and asprocketchain connecting said doubletree to said spocket-wheel,substantially as described.

4. In a mowing-machine or harvester, the combination of aspring-retracted draft element, a driving-sha ft, a ratchet-wheel faston the latter, a reversely-movable element connected to and operated bysaid spring-retracted draft element, a pawl carried by saidreversely-movable element, to engage said ratchet-wheel and means toautomatically disengage said pawl from said ratchet-wheel, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMINE F. BOYDSTON.

Vitnesses:

R. H. GUNN, T. T. THOMAS.

